Historic Jerusalem Mill Village is a nearly intact mill village from the 1770s in Harford County,…read moreMaryland. Depending on the hour you visit, you can visit a number of structure: the Grist Mill (now a visitor's center), the Miller's House, the Blacksmith Forge, Tenant House, McCourtney's General Store, Barn ruins, the Jericho Covered Bridge, and more. We visited on a Saturday afternoon. We walked to the barn ruins and the covered bridge. Then we visited the blacksmith shop (a blacksmith in period clothes gave us a little lessons on blacksmithing) and McCourtney's General Store, which now houses a little museum about Jerusalem Mill. The staff at the General Store were very helpful and friendly and walked us around and pointed out different objects and artifacts. There is a trailhead that starts just near the parking lot on Jerusalem Road that I want to check out next time we're in the area. The Village also hosts different events, like their summer concert series, so it's a great place to get to know. The parking was in the area is very limited (lots of people in the lot park for the trail or to picnic in the meadow behind the blacksmith shop), and the area isn't very organized (stopping by the general store or visitor center first to get an idea of what your options are is probably the best way to tackle it). But it's a really interesting glimpse into Maryland's history and worth a visit if you're in the area or passing through!

Gunpowder Falls State Park has several locations; this review is for the Jerusalem Mill Village and…read moretrails near the headquarters. I enjoyed both my visits. Last week, I enjoyed visiting on a Sunday, just after the park office had closed. Walked along the trails near the river. In March 2025: * Limited parking on a weekend. First time, there was no parking in front of it nor in the overflow parking area. Glad that I turned around and came back. * Consider sharing a car or taking Lyft or Uber if you can, to save parking spaces for others. * Lot to see and do in the Village and beyond! Great chats to reenactors in the Jerusalem Miller's House, who cooked period-appropriate food. The blacksmith was working hard. * I took the trail south of the Village and west of the river down to Jericho Bridge. The trail was easy to walk, comfortably soft, and dry. North of the road is the Little Gunpowder trail

Looked at the grounds. Parked in front of the house and…read morelooked at the outside of the house. There is also a large parking lot shared with the Ma and Pa Trail. Walked around the grounds in March before most plants had come out. Liked the planted area called the Larry Franz Woodland Walk. At the back of this area, walk past the ribbon tied on a tree. Then go down a steep trail to circle back along the Ma and Pa Trail to the parking lot. Good to see the snowdrops, crocuses, hellebores, dead leaves, and fungi on tree trunks! Without leaves, you can see further through the forest. Slippery when dry! Some steeper trails are slippery as the dry leaves slide over rocks hidden under the leaves

My wedding was BEAUTIFUL thanks to the Liriodendron and it's gorgeous grounds. I am so happy that I…read morefound this place nusselled in the back of some neighborhoods in Bel Air. The location is perfectly located for wedding at St. Marks Church is Fallston (~10 minute drive). The venue is a little pricey (~$3000 + insurance for an early slot on a Saturday in October). But it's worth it for the gorgeous setting. I also liked the back entrance where I was able to sneak upstairs and get my dress bustled before having to see all my guests. We came down the main staircase (which the florist was able to decorate) as we were introduced as a couple for the first time. We did not have dancing but did have yard games set up. We used one portico as a bar area and the outside terrace area for cornhole. We had a giant jenga set as well on the concrete terrace area. You do have to pick from a specific list of vendors when it comes to food. They have Dean and Brown on their list though which is one of the highest rated catering places in Harco. Overall, the wedding went off without a hitch and I am so glad that I held it at the Lirio!

Super cool landmark…read more As per the plaque: Constructed in 1860, the Gatehouse was designed by the Baltimore firm of Thomas and James M. Dixon. Built in Tudor Revival Style, it provided for two living units, one on each side of the archway. The Gatehouse resembled a Swiss chalet and became a trademark of the Sheppard. The neighborhood children viewed it as the home of Hansel and Gretel. A tenant alwavs lived in the Gatehouse until 2005. The beautiful Rhododendron Drive was historically entered by driving through the Gatehouse. In 2002 the entire Charles Street entrance was reconstructed and cars no longer entered through the Archway.

This is my favorite area in Patapsco state park, I've brought many friends and family here over the…read moreyears. It's beautiful, you can find the ruins of an old mining camp and religious boarding school here. There's even a decent spot to jump off the train tracks into the water below, although take care because the water can be shallow in spots.

Probably one of the more interesting hikes that I have done in awhile. The hike will be quite…read moreshort, but you got hills and steps to get your work out on. I think the feel of the place is supposed to be spooky, unfortunately, I picked a spring break day to do it and there were enough teenagers running around here like savages (just kidding, they were all really sweet) it doesn't really have a scary feel to it at all. To explain the ruins, it was Roman Catholic school in Ilchester, Maryland. The ruins are near Ilchester and Bonnie Branch roads (so the Yelp location is pretty straight on). It was called hell house in the 70s after it was abandoned and vandalized and rumors have it a strange cult started living there. It also had an over zealous caretaker who had a gun and some dogs and would assault vandals. He was displaced after the school was set ablaze by arsonists. Hell House altar structure that most people take pictures of is at the top of a very steep hill, about a mile in. It used to have a large metal cross, and it is a very unique place for a photoshoot. For easy access, park in the lot for patapsco state park (right past the train tracks) where the trailhead is and start coming up to the left of the train tracks.

My friends and I experienced the English High Tea Express and had a wonderful time! This event…read moresells out fast! We took a lovely train ride in a historic railcar from New Freedom to Glen Rock which is about a half hour. The conductor pointed out notable sites along the way. We then enjoyed a fabulous high tea at Table 1837 Glen Rock Mill Inn. There was so much to eat that we left with a doggie bag. There were only 3 choices of tea but the salted caramel was delicious. They had 4 finger sandwiches, 2 scones and fruit. We also received a grilled chicken salad as an entree accompanied by a glass of wine (there were 3 choices of wine. Originally we were offered mimosa but then they ran out of orange juice). For dessert, we had Pots du Crème. We boarded the train and headed back to New Freedom. I'd definitely recommend and intend on doing another event in the future.

We headed to Northern Central Railway for their special event The Great Northern Central Train Raid…read moreand had a blast! Plenty of free parking right outside the gift shop/museum (handicapped parking, too). We browsed the gift shop first--lots of train-lover trinkets, and of course, Adventure Buddy snagged a couple of those irresistible 3D wooden train models. I was over the moon when check-in handed us oversized souvenir tickets--complete with our traincar and seats punched out. Such a fun keepsake! The small museum next door took maybe 15 minutes but was nicely done and staffed by a friendly volunteer. After a quick pit stop, we boarded the D. Reed Anderson car. The open windows made for a breezy ride past pretty scenery--green trees, a creek, even small towns like Glen Rock where folks waved from porches. Actors in full Civil War character moved through the cars during the ride, building the story of Union vs. Confederate soldiers battling over rumored gold. At times it was hard to hear or follow the storyline depending on where you sat, but the big skirmish at the park--cannon blasts, musket fire, and all--was definitely the highlight. Tickets were $31.99 and worth it for a few hours of history-meets-theater-meets-train ride fun. This is a great daytrip for adults (grab lunch before and ice cream after nearby). Kids would love the trains, but younger ones may struggle with the length of this particular event. We'll definitely be back in the fall for one of their seasonal rides!

Wow. What a unique, random gem and historic property. What is Fonthill and why is there a castle in…read moreDoylestown, Pennsylvania? Fonthill Castle was the home of archeologist and tile maker Henry Chapman Mercer. (Also in Doylestown are two more Mercer buildings you can tour - the Mercer Museum and the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works building, the business Mercer ran and where most of the tiles in the castle were produced.) Henry Mercer seems like he was an interesting guy, and you can see that in his home - 44 rooms, 18 fireplaces, 200 windows, who knows how many staircases...! And designed and decorated in a way I've never seen anywhere else. The castle is an early example of poured-in-place concrete building and is a mix of Medieval, Gothic, and Byzantine architectural styles. And there are, of course, Moravia tiles (and some historic and international tiles that he collected during his life) throughout the house - almost more than you could imagine. We visited last Saturday to experience their "Fonthill Castle Holiday Lights Meander Experience," which allows you to visit the castle through a self-guided experience (there were staff in various rooms who were happy to answer questions) and enjoy a series of Christmas trees on display throughout the home. I definitely enjoyed the experience but am definitely planning a return visit to see the castle in better light (not at night in the dark - which was perfect for the Christmas tree experience) - they offer 60-minute guided tours though the house for most of the year! The castle is pretty wild, and I look forward to visiting it again and experiencing it in a new way. If you are interested in architecture, art, crafts, the Arts and Crafts design movement, or just quirky, unusual places, definitely add Fonthill to your list and check it out!

Amazing property, it is a hidden gem. Went with my family for the tour and everyone enjoyed it!read more

I visited the 1719 Museum this past Saturday and really enjoyed the experience…read more The guided tour starts with a short film about the property that provides some great context for the rest of the tour. Then you leave the visitor center and walk over to the first structure of tour, which is a full-sized reproduction of a Native American longhouse. Longhouses (large multi-generational family homes made of logs, saplings, and tree bark) were once ubiquitous in Pennsylvania, including along the Susquehanna River. At the time the Hans Herr home was built, south-central Pennsylvania was home to several Indigenous tribes, including the Shenks Ferry, Conoy, Lenape, Mohawk, Nanticoke, Seneca, Shawnee, and Susquehannock peoples. The 1719 Museum collaborated with the Circle Legacy Center and members of the local indigenous community to build the longhouse reproduction in order to share the history of and honor Pennsylvania's native communities and educate visitors to the area. With your guide, you walk into the longhouse, where you sit down while the guide explains quite extensively about the Native communities in the area, the longhouse and its architecture, and the relationships between the indigenous people and the Mennonite people who made homes in the area. After the longhouse, the guide walks you over to the Hans Herr House. It was built in 1719 and is a 2-story, rectangular sandstone Germanic-style dwelling. It is the oldest dwelling in Lancaster County and the oldest Mennonite meetinghouse in America. The guide walks you through various rooms in the house and shares information about the Herr family as well as the larger Mennonite community in early Pennsylvania history. Our guide was Cindy, and she was incredible. I learned so much about the Native, Indigenous and Mennonite communities of 18th century Pennsylvania (and - in the case of the Native peoples - a much earlier history of their lives in Pennsylvania). She really educated us on a broad range of topics, while keeping the tour fun (I love fun education)! She made my tour extra special. If you're spending some time exploring Lancaster Counter, the 1719 Museum should definitely make your itinerary! In one place, you can learn a little bit about Pennsylvania's Native and Mennonite communities, and it's just a special place!

Why is the Hans Herr House significant and who the hell was Hans Herr?…read more The house itself is significant as it is the last remaining structure that is still standing from the original group of Mennonites who came to the Lancaster County area to escape religious persecution from their native Switzerland. The house is also significant in that it is the oldest structure in Lancaster County and likely the oldest remaining Mennonite meetinghouse in the Western Hemisphere. The original group traveled from Switzerland to Germany to escape religious persecution then after a governmental regime change they were forced from Germany to England where they met with William Penn who allowed them to colonize a portion of what is current day Lancaster County or when they arrived in 1711, the extreme most western frontier of Pennsylvania. One interesting piece of information is that the house did not belong to Hans Herr as it was built by his son Christian which is why his initials are over the doorway along with the inscribing mark of 1719. On the tour you are told why the name remained(s) Hans Herr House versus Christian Herr House but honestly I forget why. Maybe something just deferential from Christian towards his father or because of his father's status with the original group that came to the area or maybe everyone just liked the flow of the name more so it's based on tradition? The tour itself is around 40-45 minutes and it starts in the building which houses the gift shop and you are given a brief overview of the Anabaptist faith, the Mennonites who are direct descendants of the faith and a map which shows the route the initial settlers took from Switzerland to Pennsylvania. After that you are taken over to the house where you see the three rooms which make up the first floor (kitchen, bedroom and all purpose dining room-meeting room-family room) and the second floor which is where the eight children slept and finally the basement which is accessed from a side entrance outside of the house. You learn that the key to the home's design is that they didn't believe in wasting any space so every inch served a purpose such as not having hallways so as soon as you walk in the front door you're right in the kitchen. One thing worth noting, if you are someone who is hardcore hung up on only visiting historical places if they have lots of original items then this place might not be for you. There is not a whole lot original to the house that you can see with the exception of a piece of the ceiling insulation on the first floor (rye straw + manure + ??), the wooden crossbeam over the kitchen fireplace and the steps which go from the second floor to the third floor attic (obviously you can't use them). Past that I think most everything else was changed out in the 19th century when the house was still used as a residence or in the early 70's when the initial renovation occurred to make things into a tourist destination. If you want more original take a look at the bibles on display in the gift shop which are original to Hans and Christian. I wouldn't call the Hans Herr House a must see, but it's interesting enough and the tour is the right length to keep everyone interested along with being located close enough to most of Lancaster County's tourist elements. If you go: The 1719 Hans Herr House is open April 1 through November 30, Monday-Saturday, 9:00 AM-4:00 PM. Forty-five minute Herr House tours are offered at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. This is not the tour information for their reproduction Native American Longhouse. That tour is offered at 10 a.m., 12 noon and 2 p.m and has an entirely different focus. Prices are currently Adults: $8, Children 7-12: $4 and Children 6 and under: free with a slight discount if you choose to tour both structures. There are also several special events that happen throughout the year and that information is available on their website.

We visited the Hampton National Historic Site in Towson this past weekend. This estate was owned by…read morethe Ridgely family for 7 generations from 1745 to 1948. The Georgia mansion home was the largest private home in America when it was completed in 1790. The estate was a plantation, one of the largest in Maryland, and hundreds of people were enslaved at the plantation until the end of the Civil War. The property is operated by the National Park Service, so a park ranger gives guided tours of the property. Our ranger guide was really friendly and did a wonderful job guiding us through the house. She taught us about the history of the area, the family, and the estate. She taught us about the architecture of the house and the artifacts visible throughout the house (many of which are original to the home). She also highlighted the lives and stories of enslaved persons who spent part or the entirety of their lives at Ridgely. There is some important Maryland history here at Hampton, and I really appreciated our experience. The house is undergoing some renovations right now and we were a bit tight on time, so we weren't able to explore the grounds (I think you can visit the slave quarters, cemetery, and more on the grounds), so I'd like to go back and explore more of the site's history. As an NPS property, it's free to visit and tour and definitely worth checking out. It's history hidden in plain sight - you've probably driven past it many times without stopping by!

We went on the 1 hour tour inside the house and were amazed by the renovation and details of the…read moreestate. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and answered our questions. I would recommend getting tickets to tour the house. We went last year and were only able to walk the grounds. Tickets are only $1 at recreation.gov.

On the side of the road near where Greenbelt Road crosses the Beltway is this historical marker…read moresign denoting the Taoping Castle (circa 1750). It is on Walker Road. It reads: On this site, Isaac Charles and Nathan Walker erected a large white oak log house named for their ancestral stronghold in Scotland which the three brothers had fled after the failure of attempts to unseat George I, King of England, as ruler of Scotland. Isaac permanently settled here and obtained land grants for 188 acres. He and his three sons served in the Revolutionary War. The graves of Isaac and his son Nathan are north of here. Taoping Castle was the birthplace of Samuel Hamilton Walker (February 24, 1817 - October 9, 1847). Lt. Colonel of the Texas Rangers and Captain of the US Cavalry, he left home at age 19 to fight Indians and later became a leader and hero of the Rangers. His suggested changes to Samuel Colt's revolver resulted in Colt's success as an arms manufacturer. 1000 Colt-Walker pistols - the first, heaviest and longest revolvers ever issued to American forces - were purchased for the Texas Rangers during the Mexican war. Walker was killed in that war at the Battle of Hua Mantla, Mexico. The family cemetery is all that remains of the Taoping Castle estate.

Must visit spot if you are around the area and want good humor for free…read more The address on Yelp is currently wrong, please put "Welcome to Intercourse PA Sign" on Google Maps search. It has the correct address. Very funny name for a town. Also, watch out for the horse carriage the Amish use, please don't block their passage.

Quaint little town in Lancaster County. So Many little shops to see for gifts, food items,…read morerestaurants, buggy rides, not to mention the Amish people who are so kind. Drivers could be much more cautious and courteous of the buggies and those on their foot powered scooters. Every time I heard sirens I just cringed, hoping everyone was okay. It should go without saying, but Please, be Very careful if following or passing them! There are many covered bridges in the county to see. There's a map avail online and at the county visitor center. We were able to find about five just using google and all but one or two we could drive through. It's a wonderful way to see the countryside too.